Distinguished Scientists Lecture Series At SMC Begins Oct. 3

Posted Sep. 17, 2013, 9:07 am

Mirror Staff

Sharks and uses for 3-D printing in medicine are just two of the topics of SMC’s Fall 2013 Distinguished Scientists Lecture Series, beginning Oct. 3.

All talks – designed for lay audiences – are free and are held at 11:15 am in Science Lecture Hall 140 on the main campus at 1900 Pico Blvd.

The lectures in the series are:

• Oct. 3: “Sharks: Turning Fear Into Hope,” by Jessica Cramp, program manager for the Pacific Islands Conservation Institute (PICI). She will discuss the plight of the shark in today’s world, and the Institute’s work with the largest contiguous sanctuary in the world for sharks, skates, and rays.

• Oct. 22: “Medical Applications of 3-D Printing,” by Dr. Benjamin Wu, UCLA School of Dentistry Professor and Chair of the Division of Advanced Prosthodontics, Director of Weintraub Center for Reconstructive Biotechnology, and Chair of the School of Engineering’s Department of Bioengineering. He will talk about the promise that 3-D printing holds for prosthodontics and other applications.

• Nov. 21: “The Cancer Genome and Beyond,” by Dr. Rhine R. Shen, Research Fellow in Medicine at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a major teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. She will talk about her investigations into the roles of oncogenes, genomic instability, and other factors in the development of cancer.

The lecture series is sponsored by the SMC Physical Science and Life Science departments and the SMC Associates (www.smc.edu/associates), a private organization that funds speakers and special events on campus. Seating is on a first-arrival basis.